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Saturday, July 27, 2013

Soft System Methodology Presentation Transcript:
1.SSM (soft system methodology)2.What is SSm ??
An approach to inquiry into problem situations perceived to exist in the real world. It provides a richer basis for understanding the situation.deals with ‘soft problems’

3.An approach to inquiry into problem situations perceived to exist in the real world. It provides a richer basis for understanding the situation.deals with ‘soft problems’

4.How SSM works…

Entering the problem situation.Expressing the problem situation.Formulating root definitions of relevant systems.Building Conceptual Models of Human Activity Systems.Comparing the models with the real world.Defining changes that are desirable and feasible.Taking action to improve the real world situation.

5.Stage 1 and 2

In stage 1 and 2 the analyst tries to develop the richest picture possible of the problematic situation. The function of these 2 stages is "to display the situation so that a range of possible and, hopefully, relevant choices.Focus on structures and on continuously-changing processes and the relationship between structure and process.

6.3.Relevant systems It is named in terms of root definition which is a sentence expressed in natural language, consisting of elements in accordance with the mnemonic CATWOE:
Customers -- who are the victims or beneficiaries of T,Actors -- those who would perform T,Transformation process -- the conversion of input to output,Worldview – the perspective from which the root definition is seen.Owners -- those who have the power to stop T, andEnvironment constraints -- elements outside the system which it takes as given.

7.Conceptual modeling

8.Stage 5The analyst leaves the systems thinking and initiates the debate concerning desirable feasible changes by setting up discussions which compares the models build in stage 4 with the problem situation expressed in stage.

4 different ways of confrontation:1) Informal discussion.2) Formal questioning.3) Scenario writing based on 'operating' the models4) Trying to model the real world in in the same structure as the conceptual Models.

9.Stage 6 and 7 concerns the implementation of the changes to improve the problem situation.In practice SSM is not as 'linear' as described here, as an ideal stage by stage process. Often iterations are done Nevertheless the outcome of SSM should be the implementation of 'desirable' and 'feasible' changes.

10.CONCLUSIONNevertheless the outcome of SSM should be the implementation of 'desirable' and 'feasible' changes.